March 19, 2019 – A recognition ceremony was held Monday evening for a group of repeat violent offenders who have completed a special year-long intervention program called Operation Comeback, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

March 13, 2019 – Two men have been found guilty in a 2013 car-to-car gang-related shooting near Park and Getwell that claimed the life of one woman and critically injured a driver, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

March 11, 2019 – A 35-year-old man has been convicted for his role in the theft of a package from a Berclair-area resident’s porch that contained more than $21,000 worth of designer clothing, jewelry and other accessories, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

March 11, 2019 – The Governor’s Inn & Suites in southeast Memphis which was closed last month as a public nuisance has been allowed to reopen after agreeing to address security and other safety issues, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

March 19, 2019 – A recognition ceremony was held Monday evening for a group of repeat violent offenders who have completed a special year-long intervention program called Operation Comeback, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

March 13, 2019 – Two men have been found guilty in a 2013 car-to-car gang-related shooting near Park and Getwell that claimed the life of one woman and critically injured a driver, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

March 11, 2019 – A 35-year-old man has been convicted for his role in the theft of a package from a Berclair-area resident’s porch that contained more than $21,000 worth of designer clothing, jewelry and other accessories, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

March 11, 2019 – The Governor’s Inn & Suites in southeast Memphis which was closed last month as a public nuisance has been allowed to reopen after agreeing to address security and other safety issues, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

March 8, 2019 – A 23-year-old man has been indicted on first-degree felony murder charges in the robbery and shooting death of a teen last year in Raleigh, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

Thursday, 08 February 2018 08:27

Operation Comeback

Feb. 7, 2018 – A violent crime reduction strategy called Operation Comeback began Tuesday night with a call-in of about 10 selected high-risk offenders who were warned to stop the violence while also being offered a wide array of social services to help them change their criminal lifestyles.

Federal, state and local enforcement representatives met with the selected offenders and personally promised to hold them accountable for any future crimes with swift and severe prosecution and punishment.

Social service providers offered help with education, job training and placement, housing, substance-abuse counseling and other assistance.

“I’m tired of hugging crying mothers who have lost sons or daughters to violence,” Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich told the 10 offenders. “The community is tired. We want to change that. We’re doing this because we care about you and about the community. We want you to succeed and we are offering you the tools to do that.”

Operation Comeback uses the focused deterrence approach of support and accountability that has been used successfully in other cities and is part of the Operation: Safe Community-3 (OSC-3) five-year plan to reduce violent crime in Memphis and Shelby County. Gen. Weirich is the chair of OSC-3.

The program recognizes that a relatively small number of offenders commit a disproportionate amount of crime in the communities where they live.

The felony offenders selected for the meeting are on probation or parole and were required to attend. Collectively they have been arrested 260 times, victimized 111 people and have been convicted of 141 crimes, including aggravated assault, felony thefts, aggravated burglary and domestic assault. They also have been the victims of crime 25 times.

“We are fed up with you victimizing our citizens,” said Memphis Police Director Mike Rallings. “It is going to stop tonight. There are people here to help you. We’re here for you, but I promise you that if you don’t get yourselves together, all the resources of the Memphis Police Department will be focused on you.”

Other members on the law enforcement panel included Chief Deputy Floyd Bonner of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department; Chris Hoffman, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI in Memphis; James Catalano, DEA resident agent in charge; Brent Beavers, ATF special agent; D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee; and Tony Parker, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Correction.

“Take advantage of what’s going on here tonight,” Commissioner Parker said. “For those who don’t, I’ll see you before long.”

The meeting at the Tennessee Day Reporting Center in Whitehaven included social service representatives from the Memphis & Shelby County Office of ReEntry (MSCOR), the Workforce Investment Network (WIN), HopeWorks, Memphis Housing and Community Development, Memphis Housing Authority, and Lifeline to Success.

Retired MPD Col. James Kirkwood, now executive director of the Memphis Christian Pastors Network, delivered a strong community message to the offenders, urging them to take advantage of the program and stop the violence.

“I’m here tonight to offer you some motivation,” said Rev. Kirkwood. “We want to give you the opportunity for a better life. Not everyone gets that chance. This is a different day.”

Gen. Weirich thanked the officials and social service providers for their dedication to making the program work, but said the success of Operation Comeback will be determined in the coming weeks and months as the selected offenders choose how to respond.

“The words and sentiments shared by each speaker came from the heart,” Gen. Weirich said. “Let’s hope it connected to the hearts of the listeners.”